R.I.P. Red Sox 2010 Season. By dropping 2 of 3 at the Trop, the Sox have ceased to be relevant in the AL East race. All that's left to do is play out the string. The weekend was frustrating and disappointing, but let's get real here: The Sox are without Youk, Pedey, Cameron, and Ellsbury for the rest of the year. While we'll never know what a healthy Cameron would have contributed, Youk, Pedey, and Ells would have greatly helped both the offense and the defense had they not been felled by one injury or another. The bullpen is woefully short of reliable arms. The horses just weren't there for a playoff run.
When the Sox started playing really good baseball in May and June after a very shaky April, it looked like they would really have a chance, even without Ellsbury or Cameron. However, once the injuries started to pile up and Pedey and Youk ended their seasons prematurely, it left the Sox absolutely no room for error. Add to that a bullpen which was not improved one iota in the offseason and the in-game tactical deficiencies of Tito that make winning close games with teams like the Rays an uphill battle. The lack of bullpen depth explains the 5-10 record in extra innings.
Tip your cap to the efforts of guys like Nava, Kalish, McDonald, Hall, and Lowrie for doing all they can to contribute. However, they are not Ells, Pedey, Youk, or Cam. I'm not sure whether the fact that the Red Sox are not at least 10 games back by now is due to them hanging in there or the Yankees and Rays not winning often enough to put more distance between them. However, I expect the distance to expand some come September, unless the Sox decide they want to play spoiler now that they're no longer relevant in the pennant race.
I try not to think about what might have been if the injuries hadn't happened and they had picked up a decent bullpen arm or two, either last off-season or the July 31 trade deadline. Perhaps if their position players had stayed healthy, they would have felt it worthwhile to fortify their 'pen. Who knows? When all is said and done, it will be a season of what ifs, much like 2006. I can only hope that 2011 plays out much like 2007, but lots of changes have to be made for that to happen. I'll get into exactly what changes in another blog. We can only hope the Red Sox' 2011 is not nearly as snakebit as their 2010.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Stupidity Strikes Again
Grady Little, thy name is Tito. Buchholz was showing signs of losing concentration in the 7th (witness all those pointless pickoff attempts at first with the not-so-fleet-of-foot Pena, one of which went wild and put Pena at third. A sac fly (foul ball which should not have been caught) scored him. Does Grady Francona put Bard like he should have, or even Doubront? NO, he stays with Clay, who, on his 110th pitch, promptly serves up a gopher ball to Upton.
Games like tonight are why the Sox are an extreme longshot to make the playoffs and currently sit in third place. All that they gained last night has been erased tonight with both the Yankees and Rays winning. It's been like that for most of the second half for the Sox--they are quick to give back any ground they make. To be completely honest, even if by some miracle the Sox make the playoffs, they don't have the horses to make it past the division series. The outfield is full of lightweight bats and the bullpen is a horror show after Bard, Pap, and Doubront. The defense too often lapses into Keystone Kops mode and almost half of the original starters (Cameron, Ellsbury, Youk, and Pedey) are done for the season. As admirable as the efforts of guys like Nava, Kalish, Lowrie, Hall, and McDonald have been, having four key players injured is a devastating blow. Those four players are starters for a reason and their level of production cannot be replaced no matter how hard their substitutes try.
Although Buchholz did not pitch badly by any stretch of the imagination, it was disheartening to see him revert to his nervous tic of constantly throwing over to first base, regardless of who stands there and how far they actually are from the bag. That tic cost him and the team dearly in the 7th when Pena was practically on the bag and in the way of Lowell catching the throw. The ball went rather far into foul territory and the slow-footed Lowell had to chase it down, allowing Pena to reach third. Pena scored on a sac fly that didn't have to be caught, since it would have landed foul. Some say you have to get the out there, but giving up a run proved costly because it gave the Rays life late in the game. Even after V-Mart homered in the top of the 8th to put the Sox back in the lead, the Upton dinger tied it again and the Sox could not recover. Atchison played the role of Wake this time and gave up the game-winner to familiar Sox foe Dan Johnson.
Now, tomorrow night's game is an ABSOLUTE must win if they want any hope of staying in this thing. Then again, even if they do win tomorrow, they have to face the O's next. The O's have given them fits all season, even when they were playing abysmally against everyone else. Now that Showalter's got them playing halfway decent ball, they'll likely be that much harder for the depleted, one step forward, two steps back Sox to handle.
Games like tonight are why the Sox are an extreme longshot to make the playoffs and currently sit in third place. All that they gained last night has been erased tonight with both the Yankees and Rays winning. It's been like that for most of the second half for the Sox--they are quick to give back any ground they make. To be completely honest, even if by some miracle the Sox make the playoffs, they don't have the horses to make it past the division series. The outfield is full of lightweight bats and the bullpen is a horror show after Bard, Pap, and Doubront. The defense too often lapses into Keystone Kops mode and almost half of the original starters (Cameron, Ellsbury, Youk, and Pedey) are done for the season. As admirable as the efforts of guys like Nava, Kalish, Lowrie, Hall, and McDonald have been, having four key players injured is a devastating blow. Those four players are starters for a reason and their level of production cannot be replaced no matter how hard their substitutes try.
Although Buchholz did not pitch badly by any stretch of the imagination, it was disheartening to see him revert to his nervous tic of constantly throwing over to first base, regardless of who stands there and how far they actually are from the bag. That tic cost him and the team dearly in the 7th when Pena was practically on the bag and in the way of Lowell catching the throw. The ball went rather far into foul territory and the slow-footed Lowell had to chase it down, allowing Pena to reach third. Pena scored on a sac fly that didn't have to be caught, since it would have landed foul. Some say you have to get the out there, but giving up a run proved costly because it gave the Rays life late in the game. Even after V-Mart homered in the top of the 8th to put the Sox back in the lead, the Upton dinger tied it again and the Sox could not recover. Atchison played the role of Wake this time and gave up the game-winner to familiar Sox foe Dan Johnson.
Now, tomorrow night's game is an ABSOLUTE must win if they want any hope of staying in this thing. Then again, even if they do win tomorrow, they have to face the O's next. The O's have given them fits all season, even when they were playing abysmally against everyone else. Now that Showalter's got them playing halfway decent ball, they'll likely be that much harder for the depleted, one step forward, two steps back Sox to handle.
Victorious
V-Mart loves facing lefties. Even some of the best southpaws in the game. He bats over .400 against them and took Cy Young contender David Price yard twice last night, providing 2/3 of the Red Sox offense in the 3-1 victory over the Rays. He also guided Lester through a somewhat bizarre start, with 5 walks, a hit batter and 3 wild pitches, but 10 strikeouts and only an unearned run.
Lester's 14th win of the season came after his complete meltdown against the Blue Jays at Fenway just a week before. He bounced back nicely and held the Rays to just two hits, but add in the walks and he seemed to work himself out of a lot of jams, Dice-K style, by making the pitches he needed at the right time. To some degree, Price did the same, but his baserunners had all reached via hits--9 total. The only hit the Red Sox managed with RISP was Jed Lowrie's bloop single in the 4th inning that scored Papi from third.
The game almost got knotted up in the 6th, when Jason Bartlett singled up the middle with BJ Upton on second. Darnell McDonald threw a perfect one-hopper to the plate and, with V-Mart blocking the dish, Upton was tagged out and the Sox retained the lead. This play was huge because it kept the momentum on the Sox' side and allowed Lester to make the pitches he needed to make to get out of the inning.
Having taken game one of this crucial series, the Sox have to keep the pedal to the metal in tonight's game. Fortunately, they have their 2010 ace on the mound in Clay Buchholz. Buch can really further his Cy Young case with a dominant start tonight. He's matched up against Matt "Gargamel/Goat Boy" Garza, who has given the Sox their share of headaches, but seems to pitch better against them at Fenway than in the Trop. Tonight's game is just as big as last night's and winning at least 2 out of 3 in this series is a MUST for the Sox. With the White Sox handling the Yankees last night, the Sox are now 4.5 games behind both the Yankees and the Rays.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! (LET'S GO WHITE SOX!!!)
Lester's 14th win of the season came after his complete meltdown against the Blue Jays at Fenway just a week before. He bounced back nicely and held the Rays to just two hits, but add in the walks and he seemed to work himself out of a lot of jams, Dice-K style, by making the pitches he needed at the right time. To some degree, Price did the same, but his baserunners had all reached via hits--9 total. The only hit the Red Sox managed with RISP was Jed Lowrie's bloop single in the 4th inning that scored Papi from third.
The game almost got knotted up in the 6th, when Jason Bartlett singled up the middle with BJ Upton on second. Darnell McDonald threw a perfect one-hopper to the plate and, with V-Mart blocking the dish, Upton was tagged out and the Sox retained the lead. This play was huge because it kept the momentum on the Sox' side and allowed Lester to make the pitches he needed to make to get out of the inning.
Having taken game one of this crucial series, the Sox have to keep the pedal to the metal in tonight's game. Fortunately, they have their 2010 ace on the mound in Clay Buchholz. Buch can really further his Cy Young case with a dominant start tonight. He's matched up against Matt "Gargamel/Goat Boy" Garza, who has given the Sox their share of headaches, but seems to pitch better against them at Fenway than in the Trop. Tonight's game is just as big as last night's and winning at least 2 out of 3 in this series is a MUST for the Sox. With the White Sox handling the Yankees last night, the Sox are now 4.5 games behind both the Yankees and the Rays.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! (LET'S GO WHITE SOX!!!)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Hey Umps, It's Not Always About You!
What is it this season with umps looking for their 15 minutes of fame? The latest entry into the Umpire FAIL file is the case of minor-league call-up ump Dan Bellino. Perhaps Bellino should consult Rosetta Stone for Spanish lessons--he misinterpreted an exchange en espanol between Adrian Beltre and Felix Hernandez, former teammates and friends off the field, as being directed at him. This led to Beltre, the best hitter on the Red Sox this season, being ejected between the 2nd and 3rd innings. When Tito Francona came out to take up for Beltre, he got tossed too. This left the Sox with minor-leaguer Yamaico Navarro playing 3B and batting in Beltre's spot in the order. Shades of Niuman Romero in Tampa Bay??? You bet! Against Felix Hernandez, the Sox needed Beltre's bat. There's no guarantee it would have made a difference in the outcome of the game, but taking out a .325 hitter with nearly 90 RBI and replacing him with an automatic out batting fifth is one way to take the wind out of the sails of the Sox' 4-game winning streak.
Back to the umps, these guys' purpose in the game is to be in the background officiating. They're supposed to remain relatively anonymous--if you know an ump's name, chances are it isn't for a GOOD reason! Umps aren't perfect. They make bad calls once in awhile and the good ones own up to their mistakes. However, an umpire tossing a player over something stupid just to throw his weight around--that should be a one-way ticket back to the minors.
The hot-to-trot ump isn't entirely to blame for the Sox loss, though. They had their chances, but, as is the norm the season, when opportunity knocks, the Sox walk on by. The chance to gain more ground on the Yankees and Rays goes by the wayside as well. I wonder if the Red Sox will think about all those missed opportunities if they find themselves watching the playoffs at home. As September approaches and the Sox are still vacillating between 5 and 6 games behind the Yankees and/or Rays, the couch is looking a lot closer than the pennant.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Back to the umps, these guys' purpose in the game is to be in the background officiating. They're supposed to remain relatively anonymous--if you know an ump's name, chances are it isn't for a GOOD reason! Umps aren't perfect. They make bad calls once in awhile and the good ones own up to their mistakes. However, an umpire tossing a player over something stupid just to throw his weight around--that should be a one-way ticket back to the minors.
The hot-to-trot ump isn't entirely to blame for the Sox loss, though. They had their chances, but, as is the norm the season, when opportunity knocks, the Sox walk on by. The chance to gain more ground on the Yankees and Rays goes by the wayside as well. I wonder if the Red Sox will think about all those missed opportunities if they find themselves watching the playoffs at home. As September approaches and the Sox are still vacillating between 5 and 6 games behind the Yankees and/or Rays, the couch is looking a lot closer than the pennant.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Window-Smashin' Good!
The game started out with an injury scare (Buchholz getting spiked by Maicer Izturis on a play at first) and a robbed home run (Torii Hunter snatched a dinger from Beltre as he made a webgem catch leaning into the bullpen) for the Red Sox, but trouble and frustration would soon be replaced with tons of fun--and a half-dozen runs--at the Halos' expense.
Buchholz shook off the spiked leg (or was it his foot) and pitched 7 shutout innings. He was "effectively wild" with a lot of pitches missing the strike zone, but he made the pitches he needed to make to get out of trouble and keep the Angels off the board. The stranded runners made for a frustrating night for the SoCal squad. It's a situation the Red Sox have found themselves in more often than they'd like to remember this season.
However, tonight the Sox made the most of their scoring opportunities. In the 3rd inning, Darnell McDonald hit a blast so hard it sailed over the Monster, out of Fenway, and into a car in the parking lot, smashing the rear windshield. The next inning, the sacks were loaded for Ryan Kalish whose homer into the bullpen would not be robbed by Torii Hunter. Grand salami for the impressive rookie for his second major-league dinger. Then in the fifth, back-to-back doubles by Papi and V-Mart tacked one more run onto the Sox lead.
Not to be forgotten on a night where Buchholz and Kalish shined the brightest was Pedey's return to the lineup. The laser show is still a work-in-progress as the sparkplug second baseman needs some more at-bats to get his timing back, but he made a nice play in the 2nd to tag Matsui then throw the ball to first for a twin killing. He was charged with a hard-luck error later in the game when a sliding Napoli had him airborne as he threw the ball off-target to Lowell. Lowell missed it and it went into the dugout. Bobby Wilson was awarded second base.
I'll be on vaykay from tomorrow until next Monday night, so no blogs for a few days. Since I won't have NESN in South Carolina, I'll have to keep track of the Sox online. This homestand is where the Sox need to make hay and hope the Yanks and Rays lose some games. After the Angels leave town, Toronto and Seattle come in. The Sox have done well so far against Toronto and Seattle has an abysmal road record, so you have to hope for, at the very least, a 7-2 homestand.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! CONGRATS TO KALISH ON HIS FIRST CAREER GRANNY!!!
Buchholz shook off the spiked leg (or was it his foot) and pitched 7 shutout innings. He was "effectively wild" with a lot of pitches missing the strike zone, but he made the pitches he needed to make to get out of trouble and keep the Angels off the board. The stranded runners made for a frustrating night for the SoCal squad. It's a situation the Red Sox have found themselves in more often than they'd like to remember this season.
However, tonight the Sox made the most of their scoring opportunities. In the 3rd inning, Darnell McDonald hit a blast so hard it sailed over the Monster, out of Fenway, and into a car in the parking lot, smashing the rear windshield. The next inning, the sacks were loaded for Ryan Kalish whose homer into the bullpen would not be robbed by Torii Hunter. Grand salami for the impressive rookie for his second major-league dinger. Then in the fifth, back-to-back doubles by Papi and V-Mart tacked one more run onto the Sox lead.
Not to be forgotten on a night where Buchholz and Kalish shined the brightest was Pedey's return to the lineup. The laser show is still a work-in-progress as the sparkplug second baseman needs some more at-bats to get his timing back, but he made a nice play in the 2nd to tag Matsui then throw the ball to first for a twin killing. He was charged with a hard-luck error later in the game when a sliding Napoli had him airborne as he threw the ball off-target to Lowell. Lowell missed it and it went into the dugout. Bobby Wilson was awarded second base.
I'll be on vaykay from tomorrow until next Monday night, so no blogs for a few days. Since I won't have NESN in South Carolina, I'll have to keep track of the Sox online. This homestand is where the Sox need to make hay and hope the Yanks and Rays lose some games. After the Angels leave town, Toronto and Seattle come in. The Sox have done well so far against Toronto and Seattle has an abysmal road record, so you have to hope for, at the very least, a 7-2 homestand.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! CONGRATS TO KALISH ON HIS FIRST CAREER GRANNY!!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: 1. Salty looks like a good pickup at catcher. He had no trouble catching Dice-K, who has 5 or 6 different pitches.
2. Dice-K pitched well against the Rangers in the insane heat, but he got burned big-time by Manny Delcarmen and the offense. Wouldn't it be better if relievers shared some of the ERA burden of allowing inherited runners to score?
3. Kalish continues to impress at the major-league level. Some great at-bats today, but unfortunately nothing to show for it. He had an extra-base hit stolen from him by Julio Borbon.
4. Pedey's back on Tuesday.
The Bad: 1. Scufflin' Scoots looks like he might need some more days off. He got a hit today that could easily have been ruled an error on David Murphy, but he's been making far too many outs lately for the lead-off spot.
2. The Sox offense made CJ Wilson look like the second coming of Jon Lester. Wilson is a good lefty, but the righty-stacked offense couldn't do much against him.
The Ugly: 1. MDC's poorly-located pitch that put the game just out of reach for the Sox in the 7th inning when Michael Young blasted it out of the park for a 3-run homer, making Dice-K's pitching line a poor reflection of how he actually pitched.
2. The exasperatingly sloppy defense in the 8th, turning a 2-run lead into a 4-run with an error and two guys missing a grounder up the middle.
The Sox get an off-day tomorrow and then face the Angels, who are having about as disappointing a season as the Sox. Both teams are accustomed to making the playoffs and this year, it's very likely neither will make it. The Angels are 8.5 games back of the division-leading Rangers and the Red Sox, while closer to the division and wild card, can't seem to put together any kind of run with their wildly inconsistent play. So far this season, the Sox have had the upper hand, but it would be foolish to take this series with the Halos for granted. Nothing pisses off the baseball gods more than tempting fate. Mike Scioscia's squad still has guys who can run and test the Sox defense.
Tuesday's matchup is a pitcher's duel waiting to happen. Clay Buchholz vs. Jered Weaver. Wednesday, it's Lackey vs. Kazmir and Thursday, Beckett vs. Santana.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
2. Dice-K pitched well against the Rangers in the insane heat, but he got burned big-time by Manny Delcarmen and the offense. Wouldn't it be better if relievers shared some of the ERA burden of allowing inherited runners to score?
3. Kalish continues to impress at the major-league level. Some great at-bats today, but unfortunately nothing to show for it. He had an extra-base hit stolen from him by Julio Borbon.
4. Pedey's back on Tuesday.
The Bad: 1. Scufflin' Scoots looks like he might need some more days off. He got a hit today that could easily have been ruled an error on David Murphy, but he's been making far too many outs lately for the lead-off spot.
2. The Sox offense made CJ Wilson look like the second coming of Jon Lester. Wilson is a good lefty, but the righty-stacked offense couldn't do much against him.
The Ugly: 1. MDC's poorly-located pitch that put the game just out of reach for the Sox in the 7th inning when Michael Young blasted it out of the park for a 3-run homer, making Dice-K's pitching line a poor reflection of how he actually pitched.
2. The exasperatingly sloppy defense in the 8th, turning a 2-run lead into a 4-run with an error and two guys missing a grounder up the middle.
The Sox get an off-day tomorrow and then face the Angels, who are having about as disappointing a season as the Sox. Both teams are accustomed to making the playoffs and this year, it's very likely neither will make it. The Angels are 8.5 games back of the division-leading Rangers and the Red Sox, while closer to the division and wild card, can't seem to put together any kind of run with their wildly inconsistent play. So far this season, the Sox have had the upper hand, but it would be foolish to take this series with the Halos for granted. Nothing pisses off the baseball gods more than tempting fate. Mike Scioscia's squad still has guys who can run and test the Sox defense.
Tuesday's matchup is a pitcher's duel waiting to happen. Clay Buchholz vs. Jered Weaver. Wednesday, it's Lackey vs. Kazmir and Thursday, Beckett vs. Santana.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Lester Brings The Awesome
After two losses that evoked the old familiar
it was great to see the Sox bounce back with a game like tonight in the triple-digit heat of Texas. Lester may not have racked up the K's, but he threw 8 innings of shutout ball, getting the outs he needed to in key situations with 6 hits and a Beltre throwing error worth of baserunners. Through the 8th inning, the Sox led by a single run on a JD Drew RBI single in the 5th, plating Kalish, who had singled and took second on a passed ball. The Sox added two insurance runs in the ninth on a Bill Hall single and a "sac fly" by Scoots. The sac fly is in quotes because Rangers centerfielder Julio Borbon dropped the ball and Scoots reached on an error, but was credited with an RBI because if Borbon had made the play cleanly, it would have been a sac fly.
Those runs would end up being the difference in the game. With Bard and Pap unavailable, Scott Atchison came in to try to get the save. The always dangerous Josh Hamilton took him yard and then Vladi dove into first for an infield single. Out came Atchison and in came Felix Doubront. The tying run was coming to the plate in the person of rookie Mitch Moreland, who hit his first career dinger the night before. With Moreland batting, Vladi took off for second. V-Mart nailed him with a throw that arrived well before Vladi did and there was one less out for Doubront to get, not to mention empty bases. Felix got Moreland looking to end the game and preserve a 3-1 lead as Red Sox Nation collectively exhaled.
Lester came up big when the team desperately needed him to, having exhausted the 'pen that 10-9 travesty of a series opener that saw the Sox punt an 8-2 lead. The Sox lost Ellsbury again, probably for the rest of the season. He apparently re-injured his ribs and was put on the DL today. It looks like he'll need a lot more time to let the injury completely heal. Baseball isn't typically considered to be a contact sport, but that's not to say the body doesn't take a beating making diving plays, sliding into bases, or colliding with a certain hard-charging third baseman chasing a foul pop-up.
It's really a shame that this ended up being a lost season for Ells, as he had a very good 2009, batting around .300 and stealing 70 bases. The Red Sox offense is much better with the Ells-Pedey combo at the top of the lineup than without them. Ells on base distracts the pitcher, who might be more likely to give Pedey a pitch to hit. If, for some reason he can't contribute in 2011, the Sox should seriously consider going after Carl Crawford, who hits free agency after this season. The Yanks will go hard after him too, though, and because their financial resources are seemingly limitless, it won't be easy for the Sox to win a bidding war.
Tomorrow, Dice-K is up for the Sox in the oven that will be the Rangers' ballpark during the day. Taking 2 of 3 against this first-place Texas team will be a tall order and it will take some clutch hitting and pitching to make it happen.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
it was great to see the Sox bounce back with a game like tonight in the triple-digit heat of Texas. Lester may not have racked up the K's, but he threw 8 innings of shutout ball, getting the outs he needed to in key situations with 6 hits and a Beltre throwing error worth of baserunners. Through the 8th inning, the Sox led by a single run on a JD Drew RBI single in the 5th, plating Kalish, who had singled and took second on a passed ball. The Sox added two insurance runs in the ninth on a Bill Hall single and a "sac fly" by Scoots. The sac fly is in quotes because Rangers centerfielder Julio Borbon dropped the ball and Scoots reached on an error, but was credited with an RBI because if Borbon had made the play cleanly, it would have been a sac fly.
Those runs would end up being the difference in the game. With Bard and Pap unavailable, Scott Atchison came in to try to get the save. The always dangerous Josh Hamilton took him yard and then Vladi dove into first for an infield single. Out came Atchison and in came Felix Doubront. The tying run was coming to the plate in the person of rookie Mitch Moreland, who hit his first career dinger the night before. With Moreland batting, Vladi took off for second. V-Mart nailed him with a throw that arrived well before Vladi did and there was one less out for Doubront to get, not to mention empty bases. Felix got Moreland looking to end the game and preserve a 3-1 lead as Red Sox Nation collectively exhaled.
Lester came up big when the team desperately needed him to, having exhausted the 'pen that 10-9 travesty of a series opener that saw the Sox punt an 8-2 lead. The Sox lost Ellsbury again, probably for the rest of the season. He apparently re-injured his ribs and was put on the DL today. It looks like he'll need a lot more time to let the injury completely heal. Baseball isn't typically considered to be a contact sport, but that's not to say the body doesn't take a beating making diving plays, sliding into bases, or colliding with a certain hard-charging third baseman chasing a foul pop-up.
It's really a shame that this ended up being a lost season for Ells, as he had a very good 2009, batting around .300 and stealing 70 bases. The Red Sox offense is much better with the Ells-Pedey combo at the top of the lineup than without them. Ells on base distracts the pitcher, who might be more likely to give Pedey a pitch to hit. If, for some reason he can't contribute in 2011, the Sox should seriously consider going after Carl Crawford, who hits free agency after this season. The Yanks will go hard after him too, though, and because their financial resources are seemingly limitless, it won't be easy for the Sox to win a bidding war.
Tomorrow, Dice-K is up for the Sox in the oven that will be the Rangers' ballpark during the day. Taking 2 of 3 against this first-place Texas team will be a tall order and it will take some clutch hitting and pitching to make it happen.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
10 Things the Red Sox Do That Piss Me Off
After this afternoon's Epic Papelbon FAIL and the loss of a game that should have been won, my frustration with this momentum-sapper and the season as a whole inspired me to write this list. To be fair, other teams do these things too. It's just that I don't care when they do them and I like it when the opposing team does them.
1. Leaving the bases loaded. The pissed-offedness is exacerbated by the following: a. The bases were loaded with less than two outs. b. No runs were scored c. The inning ended in a double play.
2. The offense turns it off after scoring a couple of early runs and the other team catches up, passes them, and ends up winning.
3. Pitchers who can't find the strike zone, especially in a tight game.
4. Starter throws a great game (Lackey today and Buchholz against Detroit a week or so ago) and a certain closer blows it, robbing said starter of win and often losing the game.
5. Starter pitches his ass off and gets little to no run support.
6. Sloppy defense giving the other team extra outs.
7. The inexplicably crappy day game record
8. Inability to dominate against the worst teams in the league (O's, Indians, Mariners, Royals)
9. Squandering opportunities to make up ground on division rivals. How many times have the Yankees or Rays lost, but the Sox fail to take advantage of the chance to inch closer?
10. Overall lack of reliable arms in the bullpen. Bard stands alone.
How much better would it have been for the Sox to head to Texas having just completed a sweep of the Jays rather having had a very winnable game turn into a dispiriting loss with just three outs to go? The Rangers are going to be a very tough team to take 2 of 3 from. When they were in Fenway last month, the Sox could only muster a single win out of 4 games and allowed slow-footed Bengie Molina to hit for the cycle. The Sox have a couple more players back from the DL (V-Mart, Lowrie, Lowell, Ells, Beckett, Buchholz) that they didn't have in that series, but the Rangers are a team that has a lot going for them. They have very good pitching, a powerful offense, and speed on the basepaths. They can put a lot of pressure on an often-shaky Sox defense.
The Sox will have Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K going up against Hunter, Lewis, and Wilson respectively. All three Rangers starters have ERAs in the 3's, while the Sox have Beckett, who is coming off of a spanking by the Yanks, Lester, and Dice-K, who'll have dominant start or two, then reverts to nibbling his way to a 100 pitch count in the 5th or 6th inning. I sure wish Buchholz was pitching in this series. The light at the end of the tunnel: Pedey will most likely rejoin the team at Fenway on Tuesday.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! PLEASE TAKE 2 IN TEXAS!!!!
1. Leaving the bases loaded. The pissed-offedness is exacerbated by the following: a. The bases were loaded with less than two outs. b. No runs were scored c. The inning ended in a double play.
2. The offense turns it off after scoring a couple of early runs and the other team catches up, passes them, and ends up winning.
3. Pitchers who can't find the strike zone, especially in a tight game.
4. Starter throws a great game (Lackey today and Buchholz against Detroit a week or so ago) and a certain closer blows it, robbing said starter of win and often losing the game.
5. Starter pitches his ass off and gets little to no run support.
6. Sloppy defense giving the other team extra outs.
7. The inexplicably crappy day game record
8. Inability to dominate against the worst teams in the league (O's, Indians, Mariners, Royals)
9. Squandering opportunities to make up ground on division rivals. How many times have the Yankees or Rays lost, but the Sox fail to take advantage of the chance to inch closer?
10. Overall lack of reliable arms in the bullpen. Bard stands alone.
How much better would it have been for the Sox to head to Texas having just completed a sweep of the Jays rather having had a very winnable game turn into a dispiriting loss with just three outs to go? The Rangers are going to be a very tough team to take 2 of 3 from. When they were in Fenway last month, the Sox could only muster a single win out of 4 games and allowed slow-footed Bengie Molina to hit for the cycle. The Sox have a couple more players back from the DL (V-Mart, Lowrie, Lowell, Ells, Beckett, Buchholz) that they didn't have in that series, but the Rangers are a team that has a lot going for them. They have very good pitching, a powerful offense, and speed on the basepaths. They can put a lot of pressure on an often-shaky Sox defense.
The Sox will have Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K going up against Hunter, Lewis, and Wilson respectively. All three Rangers starters have ERAs in the 3's, while the Sox have Beckett, who is coming off of a spanking by the Yanks, Lester, and Dice-K, who'll have dominant start or two, then reverts to nibbling his way to a 100 pitch count in the 5th or 6th inning. I sure wish Buchholz was pitching in this series. The light at the end of the tunnel: Pedey will most likely rejoin the team at Fenway on Tuesday.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!! PLEASE TAKE 2 IN TEXAS!!!!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Doing The Splits
So the Sox took 2 of 4 from the Yanks this weekend. Will it be enough to stay in the race? The Rays have been scuffling lately (though they won tonight, they lost 5 in a row before that, including being swept in Toronto) so the Sox may have caught a break there. Still, with the offense suffering from acute Youk withdrawal and the all to frequent circuses in the field, it'll be a tough row to hoe. Toronto's playing good baseball lately and then there's Texas. The Rangers might be even harder to beat than the Yankees. They've got it going on in the Lone Star state, in a 2008 Rays way.
It was great to see Lester get back on track with scoreless 6.1 innings, helped out in the end by clutch pitching from Bard. Bard served up a gopher ball to nemesis Teixeira, but that was the only run the Yanks scored in the 2-1 Sox win. Runs are hard to come by with this Youk-less, Pedey-less bunch, but they won't be Pedey-less for too much longer. The Laser Show is expected back on his 27th birthday, August 17 as the Sox host the Halos back at Fenway.
Ells got his first post-DL hit today, batting ninth and got on base three times (once by a hit, once by a walk, and once by getting drilled) and stole four bases to make up for lost time. Only other Red Sox to accomplish this feat: The RemDawg himself.
A look ahead to the Toronto series: Tomorrow night we see Dice-K vs. Ricky Romero. Wednesday night is Buchholz vs. Shaun Marcum. Thursday at 12:30 (yes, 12:30!) is Lackey vs.
Starter To Be Named Later. Looks like the Sox better win those first two because Lackey pitching a day game is downright terrifying.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
It was great to see Lester get back on track with scoreless 6.1 innings, helped out in the end by clutch pitching from Bard. Bard served up a gopher ball to nemesis Teixeira, but that was the only run the Yanks scored in the 2-1 Sox win. Runs are hard to come by with this Youk-less, Pedey-less bunch, but they won't be Pedey-less for too much longer. The Laser Show is expected back on his 27th birthday, August 17 as the Sox host the Halos back at Fenway.
Ells got his first post-DL hit today, batting ninth and got on base three times (once by a hit, once by a walk, and once by getting drilled) and stole four bases to make up for lost time. Only other Red Sox to accomplish this feat: The RemDawg himself.
A look ahead to the Toronto series: Tomorrow night we see Dice-K vs. Ricky Romero. Wednesday night is Buchholz vs. Shaun Marcum. Thursday at 12:30 (yes, 12:30!) is Lackey vs.
Starter To Be Named Later. Looks like the Sox better win those first two because Lackey pitching a day game is downright terrifying.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Go Yard, Young Man!
After salvaging a split with the Tribe, the Sox began their battle royale with their archrivals and the division leaders, the New York Yankees with a 6-3 win. Clay Buchholz tosses 7.1 strong innings of 3-run ball and the Sox put up their 6-spot via 2 dingers, a 2-run double, and a bases-loaded walk (but not in that order). Knowing that their season is on life support, the Boston Boys were up to the challenge, at least for tonight. How the rest of the series plays out remains to be seen.
The Sox started the scoring in the top of the 1st, when Papi knocked one over the wall in center. In the bottom half of the inning, however, Buch would find himself in a spot of trouble, having allowed a single by Jeter and Teixeira at the plate. Teix, not to be outdone by Papi's 24th homer of the season, hit his own 24th long ball into the right field seats. Yanks take 2-1 lead.
The lead wouldn't last long, however. Javy Vazquez allowed the Sox to merry-go-round on the bases in the 2nd and they scored 3 runs. After Beltre doubled to lead off the inning, Drew popped out, then so did Lowell--oh wait, no he didn't! Cervelli dropped the ball! Beltre scampers to third and Lowell reaches on the error. (Oh, how I relish Yankee FAIL!) Kalish whiffs, then Lowrie works a walk. Up comes Ells, who is still hitless since his return from the DL. With two outs in the inning, it was critical that he reach base and he did just that, drawing a walk that plated Beltre. Game tied. Then comes Scoots. After walking two straight batters, Vazquez finds the plate--too much of it, as Scoots lines a 2-run double to left, scoring Lowell and Lowrie. With first base open and Papi in the batter's box, the Yanks give him the 4-finger salute and V-Mart comes to the plate. He lines out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 4-2.
Buchholz, now working with a 2-run lead holds the Yanks down until the 5th, when he plunks Jeter with one out. Jeter steals second and takes third on Swisher's single. Teixeira pops out, then A-Rod brings the Yanks within a run when his single scored Jeter. Fortuantely for Clay and the Sox, Cano grounded into a force play to end the inning with the lead intact.
That lead would get more comfortable in the top of the 6th. With one out, Lowell singled and Kalish came to the plate. Having struck out twice off Vazquez, he didn't wait around this time. The first pitch he saw he delivered to the Yanks' bullpen for a 2-run dinger, his first ever in the majors! The 22-year-old outfielder from New Jersey who grew up a Yankees fan is quickly endearing himself to Red Sox Nation now that he's helping the Sox beat the team he grew up watching.
Buch, Bard, and Pap keep the score just as it was after Kalish's home run, but Pap makes things interesting in the ninth, when Jeter fouled off a slew of his fastballs and eventually worked a walk (that appeared to me to be strike 3, but I wasn't the one making that decision). All ended well when Swisher flied out to Kalish in left to end the game. New daddy Buchholz did his 2-day-old daughter proud by beating the Yankees for the first time in his career and picking up his team-leading 12th win of the season and Kalish has a night he'll remember for the rest of his life.
Tomorrow--make that later today--Lackey (he who detests the day game and what it does to his ERA) faces off against Yankees ace Sabathia. The Sox would be wise to carry the momentum from the first game into this one because they are going to need to win this series--that means taking at least 3 out of 4--to stay afloat in the playoff race. Splitting the series wouldn't be the final nail in the coffin for this turbulent season, but by doing so, they'd be hanging on by the thinnest of threads. They're going to need to play their best lineup all four games and that means Lowell at first base. Under no circumstances does V-Mart move out of the catching position. It might not be a bad idea to move Ells down in the lineup until he gets his swing back and put Scoots back on top and maybe Lowrie second.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! KEEP ON BEATING THE YANKEES!!!
The Sox started the scoring in the top of the 1st, when Papi knocked one over the wall in center. In the bottom half of the inning, however, Buch would find himself in a spot of trouble, having allowed a single by Jeter and Teixeira at the plate. Teix, not to be outdone by Papi's 24th homer of the season, hit his own 24th long ball into the right field seats. Yanks take 2-1 lead.
The lead wouldn't last long, however. Javy Vazquez allowed the Sox to merry-go-round on the bases in the 2nd and they scored 3 runs. After Beltre doubled to lead off the inning, Drew popped out, then so did Lowell--oh wait, no he didn't! Cervelli dropped the ball! Beltre scampers to third and Lowell reaches on the error. (Oh, how I relish Yankee FAIL!) Kalish whiffs, then Lowrie works a walk. Up comes Ells, who is still hitless since his return from the DL. With two outs in the inning, it was critical that he reach base and he did just that, drawing a walk that plated Beltre. Game tied. Then comes Scoots. After walking two straight batters, Vazquez finds the plate--too much of it, as Scoots lines a 2-run double to left, scoring Lowell and Lowrie. With first base open and Papi in the batter's box, the Yanks give him the 4-finger salute and V-Mart comes to the plate. He lines out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 4-2.
Buchholz, now working with a 2-run lead holds the Yanks down until the 5th, when he plunks Jeter with one out. Jeter steals second and takes third on Swisher's single. Teixeira pops out, then A-Rod brings the Yanks within a run when his single scored Jeter. Fortuantely for Clay and the Sox, Cano grounded into a force play to end the inning with the lead intact.
That lead would get more comfortable in the top of the 6th. With one out, Lowell singled and Kalish came to the plate. Having struck out twice off Vazquez, he didn't wait around this time. The first pitch he saw he delivered to the Yanks' bullpen for a 2-run dinger, his first ever in the majors! The 22-year-old outfielder from New Jersey who grew up a Yankees fan is quickly endearing himself to Red Sox Nation now that he's helping the Sox beat the team he grew up watching.
Buch, Bard, and Pap keep the score just as it was after Kalish's home run, but Pap makes things interesting in the ninth, when Jeter fouled off a slew of his fastballs and eventually worked a walk (that appeared to me to be strike 3, but I wasn't the one making that decision). All ended well when Swisher flied out to Kalish in left to end the game. New daddy Buchholz did his 2-day-old daughter proud by beating the Yankees for the first time in his career and picking up his team-leading 12th win of the season and Kalish has a night he'll remember for the rest of his life.
Tomorrow--make that later today--Lackey (he who detests the day game and what it does to his ERA) faces off against Yankees ace Sabathia. The Sox would be wise to carry the momentum from the first game into this one because they are going to need to win this series--that means taking at least 3 out of 4--to stay afloat in the playoff race. Splitting the series wouldn't be the final nail in the coffin for this turbulent season, but by doing so, they'd be hanging on by the thinnest of threads. They're going to need to play their best lineup all four games and that means Lowell at first base. Under no circumstances does V-Mart move out of the catching position. It might not be a bad idea to move Ells down in the lineup until he gets his swing back and put Scoots back on top and maybe Lowrie second.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! KEEP ON BEATING THE YANKEES!!!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Skating On Thin Ice
Is the Red Sox organization, dare I ask, bored with baseball? Did winning two championships mean they felt there was nothing left to strive for? I'm asking these questions because I'm getting an unsettling feeling about this club, watching them get humiliated by the likes of the cellar-dwelling Cleveland Indians. Since they won in 2007, there has been a steady decline in the competitive fire shown by the Red Sox. This year, it has really come to a head and this was even before they suffered an unthinkable amount of injuries. Even as recently as last year, the Sox mopped the floor with the Orioles, Royals, and Indians. This year, they're something like .500 against those teams and it's not because those teams got better.
So are Henry, Werner and Lucchino bored, complacent, resting on the laurels of '04 and '07? Do they get more excited about soccer, hockey, and NASCAR than baseball? Do they think the fans will just buy outlandishly expensive tickets no matter what the product on the field? The team reflects the attitude of the organization and since 2007, the attitude is skating by, cruise control, squeeze into the playoffs via the wild card, even back in if you have to. Tito's managing style also reflects this "why get an A when I can pass with a C-" way of thinking. Yes, they've had injuries, and yes, it's long season, but a team with playoff aspirations should not be struggling so much against the worst teams in the league. Nor should they be 8th in the league in team ERA or put on such a circus in the field on a regular basis. Of the 9 runs scored against the Sox tonight, 7 of them were unearned, i.e. the result of errors. That is unacceptable at the major league level. Let's not even go into the horrendous situational hitting. Perhaps the entire team needs a refresher course in baseball fundamentals. Injuries would make a convenient excuse for why they don't make the playoffs this year, but the mediocre record against teams with worse rosters than even the injury-depleted Sox could be the real reason they're playing golf in October while the Yanks and the Rays are still playing baseball.
Until there's some kind of shakeup within the organization, until someone comes in who can light a fire under this team, we can expect more of the same the rest of this season and in the seasons to come. Having a healthy team is important, but just as important is having a team who makes the most of the opportunities given to them and rises to the challenge of staying in the playoff race.
So are Henry, Werner and Lucchino bored, complacent, resting on the laurels of '04 and '07? Do they get more excited about soccer, hockey, and NASCAR than baseball? Do they think the fans will just buy outlandishly expensive tickets no matter what the product on the field? The team reflects the attitude of the organization and since 2007, the attitude is skating by, cruise control, squeeze into the playoffs via the wild card, even back in if you have to. Tito's managing style also reflects this "why get an A when I can pass with a C-" way of thinking. Yes, they've had injuries, and yes, it's long season, but a team with playoff aspirations should not be struggling so much against the worst teams in the league. Nor should they be 8th in the league in team ERA or put on such a circus in the field on a regular basis. Of the 9 runs scored against the Sox tonight, 7 of them were unearned, i.e. the result of errors. That is unacceptable at the major league level. Let's not even go into the horrendous situational hitting. Perhaps the entire team needs a refresher course in baseball fundamentals. Injuries would make a convenient excuse for why they don't make the playoffs this year, but the mediocre record against teams with worse rosters than even the injury-depleted Sox could be the real reason they're playing golf in October while the Yanks and the Rays are still playing baseball.
Until there's some kind of shakeup within the organization, until someone comes in who can light a fire under this team, we can expect more of the same the rest of this season and in the seasons to come. Having a healthy team is important, but just as important is having a team who makes the most of the opportunities given to them and rises to the challenge of staying in the playoff race.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
He Ain't Done Yet!
On a day where we got bad injury news about yet another of the team's stars, a guy who's been all but forgotten this year stepped in and made a statement in his first at-bat of the night. Youk, who aggravated a muscle tear in his hand in yesterday's game was placed on the DL with the possibility of season-ending surgery. This is a big blow to the Red Sox, who are fighting to remain relevant in the playoff race. Youk is their #3/#4 hitter and a gold-glove first baseman. He is a key cog to both the offense and the defense. Overtaking the Yankees and/or Rays is going to be a very tall mountain to climb (think Everest) without him, even when some of the others return.
Speaking of returns, Youk's injury allowed Mike Lowell a way back to the team. Since Lowell has learned to play first base, having his bat in the lineup as opposed to some other replacement will help cushion the blow. Lowell showed the Red Sox and the Fenway Faithful that he still had the bat when he went yard on the first pitch he saw in the game and he still had the glove when he snared a ball coming down the first base line and dove to the bag to record the out. However, he's not going to be able to play every day. Therein lies the rub: Who plays first on days when Lowell rests? If you put V-Mart there, you're forced to put Cash behind the plate and his automatic out of a bat in the lineup. That will not fly in the Bronx. Another option is to alternate first and DH between Papi and Lowell. Papi has experience playing first and while his range is not great, he does a decent job. Or, you can let Lowrie learn on the job how to play first. That sounds rather risky, but I'd much rather have Lowrie's bat in the lineup than Cash's, unless Salty is ready to be called up (has he even played in Pawtucket yet??)
Beckett pitched himself a gem, only allowing 1 run and 3 hits over 8 innings. The run he allowed was a solo shot by Lou Marson, the Tribe's #9 hitter. He had some command issues early on, plunking two batters. The second one stirred up some ill will on the part of the Tribe, resulting in several failed attempts to drill Red Sox hitters. The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, came in the 8th, when reliever Jensen Lewis threw behind Beltre. Beltre took a few steps toward the mound, but Lewis's ribs were protected from potential harm by the home plate ump and Marson. Still, it was enough to clear the dugouts and benches and ignite a fracas. Beckett was spitting nails, getting into it with reputed instigator Shelley Duncan, "baseball terms" flying from his mouth and daggers shooting from his eyes (I credit my mom for the dagger metaphor). Tito was also piping mad and going at Indians third base coach (and former Amazing Race contestant) Steve Smith with some baseball terms of his own. Now why can't he go at his OWN third base coach like that after all the runs he has cost the team?
The fracas was resolved and the Sox ended up going quietly in the 8th, no doubt distracted by what had just transpired. Pap came in and had himself a no-drama 1-2-3 save and the Sox won 3-1. The Yanks lost again to Toronto so they fall to second place behind the Rays. Winning tomorrow night and Thursday will be essential going into this weekend's series in the Bronx. Tomorrow they will get a little help putting away the Tribe with the return of Ells. He'll be activated for tomorrow's game and his speed makes the lineup better. Lester, who became a father last Saturday, will face his former teammate Justin Masterson, who stymied the Sox in Cleveland earlier this season. Let's hope that doesn't happen tomorrow.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Speaking of returns, Youk's injury allowed Mike Lowell a way back to the team. Since Lowell has learned to play first base, having his bat in the lineup as opposed to some other replacement will help cushion the blow. Lowell showed the Red Sox and the Fenway Faithful that he still had the bat when he went yard on the first pitch he saw in the game and he still had the glove when he snared a ball coming down the first base line and dove to the bag to record the out. However, he's not going to be able to play every day. Therein lies the rub: Who plays first on days when Lowell rests? If you put V-Mart there, you're forced to put Cash behind the plate and his automatic out of a bat in the lineup. That will not fly in the Bronx. Another option is to alternate first and DH between Papi and Lowell. Papi has experience playing first and while his range is not great, he does a decent job. Or, you can let Lowrie learn on the job how to play first. That sounds rather risky, but I'd much rather have Lowrie's bat in the lineup than Cash's, unless Salty is ready to be called up (has he even played in Pawtucket yet??)
Beckett pitched himself a gem, only allowing 1 run and 3 hits over 8 innings. The run he allowed was a solo shot by Lou Marson, the Tribe's #9 hitter. He had some command issues early on, plunking two batters. The second one stirred up some ill will on the part of the Tribe, resulting in several failed attempts to drill Red Sox hitters. The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, came in the 8th, when reliever Jensen Lewis threw behind Beltre. Beltre took a few steps toward the mound, but Lewis's ribs were protected from potential harm by the home plate ump and Marson. Still, it was enough to clear the dugouts and benches and ignite a fracas. Beckett was spitting nails, getting into it with reputed instigator Shelley Duncan, "baseball terms" flying from his mouth and daggers shooting from his eyes (I credit my mom for the dagger metaphor). Tito was also piping mad and going at Indians third base coach (and former Amazing Race contestant) Steve Smith with some baseball terms of his own. Now why can't he go at his OWN third base coach like that after all the runs he has cost the team?
The fracas was resolved and the Sox ended up going quietly in the 8th, no doubt distracted by what had just transpired. Pap came in and had himself a no-drama 1-2-3 save and the Sox won 3-1. The Yanks lost again to Toronto so they fall to second place behind the Rays. Winning tomorrow night and Thursday will be essential going into this weekend's series in the Bronx. Tomorrow they will get a little help putting away the Tribe with the return of Ells. He'll be activated for tomorrow's game and his speed makes the lineup better. Lester, who became a father last Saturday, will face his former teammate Justin Masterson, who stymied the Sox in Cleveland earlier this season. Let's hope that doesn't happen tomorrow.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Killer Instinct: Do the Sox Have It or Not?
I'll get right to the point: This is a crucial, make-or-break month for the Sox in respect to their playoff chances. As of today, they are 5.5 games out of a playoff spot. It's not an insurmountable deficit, but it means the Sox have to go all out this month and win as many games and as many series as they possibly can. They have to dominate the weaker teams in the league (such as the Indians, who they face this week) and hold their own against their division rivals. This season, they have a history of playing down to their competition. Teams like the Indians, Royals, Orioles and Mariners have given the Sox more trouble than they have given other contenders. This has to stop if they're going to make a playoff push. No letting up on the gas when playing the under .500 crowd A sense of urgency not unlike they would need in playoff games themselves is essential to their survival in the race. The Sox have the talent to make a run for it, but they can't afford to throw any games away. They'll get a boost when Pedey and Ells come back, but until then, guys like Lowrie, McDonald, Patterson, Kalish and Hall need to continue to produce no matter what the score or inning. The bullpen needs to hold leads, especially late in games. The starting rotation needs to continue to pitch deep into games to avoid taxing the pen and keep games within reach. (Keep the 5+ run implosions to an absolute minimum) We'll find out this month just how badly this team wants to play past October 3 (or whenever that last series of the regular season ends)
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Scoots To The Rescue!
The Sox sure like to make things interesting. There wasn't even supposed to be a bottom of the ninth this afternoon. Buch had come into the top of the inning with a 3-run lead and Pap was warming in the 'pen just in case. The young righty had shut out the Tigers for 8 innings and it looked like he was on his way to his second complete-game shutout of the season. Or, at the very least, a complete-game win. He began the inning having thrown 98 pitches. The first batter, second baseman Will Rhymes hit a grounder to second that took a bad hop on Lowrie for an infield hit. Then, Buch walked Ryan Raburn and Tito went out to the mound to get him. In comes Pap. He strikes out Brennan Boesch, but Miguel Cabrera, a serious contender for the Triple Crown, hits one off the monster for a two run double. Then Jhonny Peralta singled up the middle to bring home the tying run. Blown save! Buchholz denied his 12th win after an excellent outing, his shutout gone. Pap managed to get a double play ball out of Jeff Frazier and escaped the inning without allowing the go-ahead run.
Fortunately for the Sox, they were at home and had the last at-bat. Lowrie leads off the inning with an infield single to third. He is pinch-run for by McDonald and Eric Patterson steps in the batter's box. Patterson attempts to bunt several times, but ends up working the walk, putting two men on with no outs. That's it for reliever Brad Thomas, who took over for Verlander in the 8th. In comes rookie Robbie Weinhardt, with their closer Valverde unavailable after throwing over 60 pitches Friday night. Scoots is up. He tries to bunt the runners over to second and third and fouls off the first attempt. Then he lays down a textbook bunt toward third base and the rook's throw to first ends up in right field. McDonald scores easily from second and the Sox have back-to-back walkoff wins.
Tomorrow, the Tribe comes to town for a 4-gamer before the Sox head off to the Bronx for a crucial series against the Yanks. Ells and Pedey don't have an exact timetable for their returns, but they should be back in the next week or so. It would be great to have at least one, if not both of them back for the Yankee series. In the meantime, Lowell is still in limbo after finishing his rehab assignment. The Sox will need to make a decision on him very soon. It's too bad they weren't able to trade him before Saturday. They may end up having to activate him and then place him on waivers. If they activate him, who disappears to make room for him?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! CONGRATS ON ANOTHER WALKOFF!!!!
Fortunately for the Sox, they were at home and had the last at-bat. Lowrie leads off the inning with an infield single to third. He is pinch-run for by McDonald and Eric Patterson steps in the batter's box. Patterson attempts to bunt several times, but ends up working the walk, putting two men on with no outs. That's it for reliever Brad Thomas, who took over for Verlander in the 8th. In comes rookie Robbie Weinhardt, with their closer Valverde unavailable after throwing over 60 pitches Friday night. Scoots is up. He tries to bunt the runners over to second and third and fouls off the first attempt. Then he lays down a textbook bunt toward third base and the rook's throw to first ends up in right field. McDonald scores easily from second and the Sox have back-to-back walkoff wins.
Tomorrow, the Tribe comes to town for a 4-gamer before the Sox head off to the Bronx for a crucial series against the Yanks. Ells and Pedey don't have an exact timetable for their returns, but they should be back in the next week or so. It would be great to have at least one, if not both of them back for the Yankee series. In the meantime, Lowell is still in limbo after finishing his rehab assignment. The Sox will need to make a decision on him very soon. It's too bad they weren't able to trade him before Saturday. They may end up having to activate him and then place him on waivers. If they activate him, who disappears to make room for him?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! CONGRATS ON ANOTHER WALKOFF!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)